Nicky Hammond, Reading FC director of football, and David Downs, the club’s child safety officer and historian, were also present.

Eldon Celtic team-mates were also there in force wearing their club colours to pay tribute to their fellow player.

Maiden Erlegh schoolfriends helped fill the church to its 500-seat capacity on Friday.

Stewart died on Saturday, November 15, in a canoeing incident on the River Usk in Wales while on a school trip to Tirabad, the outdoor education centre part-owned by his school.

The funeral service at St Peter’s Church on Friday was conducted by the Rev Derek Spears who said: “Stewart was, as we have heard, very much a sportsman who took the rough and tumble as it came.

"He enjoyed sports of all sorts but obviously football was his greatest love and enthusiasm.

“But there was another side to Stewart equally worthy of being celebrated and remembered.

“He had a gift and empathy for those who were struggling: one of his teachers at St Peter’s remembers the time when he helped a fellow pupil to abseil.

"Others had failed but Stewart encouraged and coaxed and together they abseiled down the cliff.

“He hated bullying and would support and protect the underdog.”

He went on: “Stewart’s death came very suddenly and unexpectedly and the why is still unclear.

"He was with his friends from school – he had been looking forward to the trip to Tirabad even to the extent of forgoing a football match that weekend.

“He was enjoying life and laughter as he always did, when suddenly his body just seemed to shut down.”

The vicar continued: “We have come here today to own our sense of shock and loss: we have come to surround those who knew and loved Stewart most as son, brother and grandson.

“When we love someone, part of us goes out to them; we open ourselves and we become open and vulnerable.”

He concluded by committing Stewart into God’s love saying: “I hope the pitches will always be green and perfectly kept.”

During the service Stewart’s mother Janet, father Ian and 15-year-old brother Calum shared their personal memories of him.

Other tributes were paid by Daran Golding of Shinfield Rangers FC, Wayne Nolan of Lower Earley Predators FC and Colin Barnes from Reading Football Club.

There was also a tribute paid by pupils from Maiden Erlegh School in Lower Earley who were given time off to attend the funeral.

Hymns at the service were Lord, the Light of Your Love is Shining and Love Divine All Loves Excelling.

The family attended a private committal ceremony at Reading Crematorium.

Afterwards they welcomed mourners to the Madejski Stadium Conference Centre.

Donations to the Wales Air Ambulance Service on the Justgiving website topped £3,200 in Stewart’s memory this morning.

After the ceremony Stewart’s father said: “We really want to thank the community for the support they have given to our family at this extremely difficult time.

“There’s lots of things you can look at in a tragedy when your son’s taken away from you for support – we have the support of Reading Football Club, the support from Stewart’s school but what I really want to try to get across is how much the community has really helped us.”

He paid tribute to all those who attended the funeral, especially the young people.

He went on: “Losing a son is extraordinarily hard but there are lots of kids who have lost a friend.

“To us he was our son, but to others he was a friend, a team-mate, an inspiration.”